2nd edition of the Ambition India
The 2nd edition of the Ambition India forum organized by Business France, under the high patronage of the president of the Republic of France, H.E. Mr Emmanuel Macron will take place on 1st and 4th of December 2020 in a virtual format.
The forum is addressed to both French and Indian companies looking to develop industrial, technological, and commercial partnerships in the priority sectors of the two economies. This year’s event which will be spread across two days, will be fully virtual and completely free of charge. The event will be inaugurated by H.E. Mr Franck Riester, French Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, who will thus conclude his virtual visit to India which started on November 27, and by H. E. Mr Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Trade, and Industry of the Republic of India, along with the French Ambassador to India, H.E. Mr Emmanuel Lenain, the Indian Ambassador to France, H.E. Mr Jawed Ashraf, the President of the Capgemini group, Mr Paul Hermelin, Special Representative of France for Economic Relationship with India and the vice-president of the Indian Confederation of Industry (CII) who will unveil his unpublished report on the bilateral economic relationship.
Industry experts as well as French and Indian businessmen will share their testimonies and discuss the Indian economy post-Covid-19, highlighting the industrial opportunities and commercial services offered to French SMEs and mid-caps. The issues of value chains, relations with China, priority sectors of the Indian government for attracting foreign investors will be addressed, particularly during sectoral round tables, dedicated to industry, infrastructure and new consumer trends in digital mode. Association of French Fab and French Tech in the "Make in India" programme and Regulatory aspects will also be discussed, especially those put in place since the beginning of the health crisis.
Ambition India is a two-day benchmark event in the Indo-French commercial relationship, addressing French private players but also connecting companies from both countries via an online B2B match-making platform, which will be open on 1 and 4 December in the afternoon. These meetings will ensure initial contacts with buyers, distributors, Indian industrial partners, but will also provide the opportunity to receive initial advice from experts, members of Team France Export and partners of the event.
Our institutional partners for the event include, Confederation of Indian Industry, Invest India, the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce, and Industry (IFCCI), the India section of CCEF, BPIfrance. RFI and France 24 are our media partners, and as esteemed sponsors for the event we have Udyen & Jain, Dassault Systemes, Crédit Agricole (CA-CIB), Bignon-Lebray, Expat Partners, Grand Port Maritime de Marseille, Mediawen and Tech-AI Impact Invest Paris-New Delhi.
Eric Fajole, Director of Business France in India, underlines that “the post-covid geopolitical changes that the Asian region is currently experiencing, particularly linked to supply chain issues, are likely to create new opportunities for French companies and, in particular, equipment manufacturers in all sectors, in connection with the sector strategies of the Indian government. The same is true in terms of consumption, especially among the middle classes, who have learned with the lockdown to consume differently. The massive investments this year by GAFA in Indian digital platforms which are proof of these changes and of real confidence in the future of this market of 1.3 billion inhabitants, as well as the industrial relocations underway between China and India by the major international players, are positioning India as a new global hub in various strategic sectors ”.
Today, France is one of the main foreign direct investors in this country. India appears to be the 29th destination for French direct investment in the world. More than 640 French subsidiaries are based in the country. 37 of the CAC 40 groups, with a good number of SMEs / ETIs, some start-ups are present in India alongside French Tech India which is growing stronger. The French offer is well positioned in various sectors: manufacturing industry, IAA, energy, environment and transport infrastructure, the lifestyle sector, and digital services.
Key figures from Business France India
The 4 Business France offices in New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, and Chennai cover the whole of India, and provide effective support for French SMEs and mid-caps wishing to develop in this large market. With around thirty bicultural employees, all of whom have developed sectorial expertise in sectors with high potential, Business France India has supported more than 4,000 French companies over the past 5=five years. Their offers and services, collectively or tailor-made, can be supplemented by those of Team France Export , including the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI),.
With more than a hundred VIEs based in India since the beginning of 2020, and a resumption of assignments since mid-October, Business France provides HR solutions which are highly appreciated by companies.
About Business France
Business France, the French Trade and Investment Commission in India, is the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, responsible for fostering export growth by French businesses, as well as promoting and facilitating international investment in France. It promotes French companies, business image and nationwide attractiveness as an investment location, and runs the VIE international internship program. Founded on January 1, 2015 through a merger between UBIFRANCE and the Invest in France Agency, Business France has 1,500 personnel, situated in France and in 55 countries throughout the world, who work with a network of public and private sector partners.